When Harley bought his '07 Street Glide 18 months ago, he put a lot of thought and planning into what, and how much he was going to have added to his new toy right off the bat. The day he drove it out of the dealership, he had Axel Nut Covers, Backrests, Engine Guards, Highway Pegs, Matching Shifter Pegs, Cruise Control Kit, Smart Security System, Stage One Kit, ect, ect... The list went on and on! But the most important thing at the top of that list was the True Duel Rinehart exhaust system. He was especially exited about that.
The day he picked up his new baby, looking her over and listening to the sweet sound that she made... well, let's just say, I'm glad there are still things that I can do, that that wonderful bike will never be able to pull off! LOL! I'll admit, it was music to our ears and I was jealous, no doubt. This was a beautiful machine, and she was going to be part of our family now, so I accepted her with no qualms. (except the fact she came with a hefty price tag!)
Now, lets fast forward to today and the reason why I think Rinehart is so great. Within six months of the purchase, we noticed the tips of the exhaust started turning color. It started out with just a subtle change from black to a lighter shade of charcoal.
But then it turned orangey copper, to an unpolished yellow brass. Really ugly! He would get comments from other riders, who noticed this, about how badly those tips are turning. About a month ago, some one said to him, "Man, that's a really nice looking bike, but those tips are about the worst I've ever seen." That was the straw that broke the camels back! That day, he came home grumbling, "We need to write to Rinehart about these damn tips!" That "we" would be me (I haven't mentioned this before, but I have the blessed chore of being my husband's personal secretary whenever things like this come up).I started Googling to find out some contact information, but kept running into the problem of... no info, just how to buy them. I decided to call our Harley Dealership to ask them if they have a way to contact Rinehart. Upon their inquiry as to why I needed this info, after explaining our concern, they said, "Oh, just bring in your turned tips in and we'll give you new ones." (sound effect... needle scratching across vinyl on the turntable. ZZzpppppttt!) Say what? The nice voice on the phone repeated, "Yeah, Rinehart stands behind their product, and we act as the liaison between you and them. Just bring us the turned tips, we will send them back to Rinehart and give you new ones." Woo Hoo! I was pleasantly surprised to hear this. No questions asked, no jumping through hoops, no arguments with costumer service, just "bring them in and we'll give you new ones." How often does that happen?
I wanted to get a pic comparing the difference in the turned ones and the new ones, so the parts dude at the dealership humored me, and allowed me to get this shot. (BTW... have you ever noticed, that when you pull out a camera, people scatter like roaches in a dark room when the light comes on!) 
Now, Harley's True Duals look good again! He is very pleased and I too, am extremely happy at how easy this whole process was. I just wish we'd have done it sooner. Maybe we could have spared Harley some undue buyer's remorse.
I know product reviews can be very informative and helpful when trying to decide on which products will be the best for you. I just wanted to pass along how happy we are that Rinehart provides a great product, AND they stand behind it. For this, I give them a big THUMBS UP!Lady R
17 comments:
What?! You didn't have to buy an extended warranty?!
It's great that someone still stands behind their product.
Trying not to be a real downer here, but I've got to say this. It's bugged me since the first time I saw these tips discoloring. I see it all the time. Pay attention on the road, and look at other bikes with this exhaust. Many will have the same problem. I've got a riding buddy with the same exhaust, and the same problems with discoloring tips. ("from what I remember him telling me") I'm told it has something to do with the heat. Only one of his was doing it till he had the bike Dyno tuned. Now they both discolor equally. He's not happy with them. He knows they'll stand behind the product, but wants a product that is not going to need standing behind every six months or so if you know what I mean. He's replaced three sets of them so far that I'm aware of, maybe more. This is clearly not a new issue for Rinehart, or they would not just handily have this exchange program set up with Harley Davidson. In my opinion, they need to find a solution for these tips, rather than just handing out replacements. THAT would make them a stand up company. Who knows, I'm sure they are working on finding a solution to the problem. Unless they do, Sorry Harley, You'll be back for more! What a pain in the ass! There is even a Harley Davidson Forum on this subject. http://www.hdforums.com/forum/engine-fuel-intake-exhaust/91151-rinehart-black-tip-discoloration.html
Wow, Mr. M-
Aren't you a killjoy?!
Sorry, Don't mean to kill the buzz, just stating facts.
I redon't know what the hell these things are, but they sure sound cool.
Wait, my kid (bubba) wants to type something for you:
hwe0-wg=o35jo34t-i01r3it24=0endebierh3-35
Dean... I thought so too. Mr. M brings up some good points.
Mr. M... I appreciate you speaking your mind. I have no problem with that, but I understand that Rinehart is actively working on this problem. Hopefully, they can come up with a solution and resolve the coloring problem, but in the mean time, it's nice to know that your not stuck with a product that looks less attractive after awhile. As long as we can replace them, it took H. all of fifteen minutes to take them off and put them back on.
I have a Vance and Hines two in one exhaust system on my Glide and I have a constant problem with "bluing". Vance and Hines won't replace my pipes because heat is always going to be an issue. I love the way my bike sounds, but I'll never have shiny chrome on the back part of my exhaust.
I hear what your saying about quality, but since we live in an imperfect world, this seems like an honest way to handle a defective situation. That still qualifies for a Thumbs Up by me!
masterchief... if you like things that go vrooom, than yes these things are cool.
Tell bubba... ge09372sde[ae9-03xow!
Yeah! I like hearing things like this. Hmmm...thanks to your review I might have to consider this set. I have had my heart set on a samson black ceramic true dual for some time but they are about 1k.
This is what will make or break a company in these hard times. Glad they are paying attention.
Oh yeah, I wonder why they don't powder coat the tips? Would that hold up? From what I have been reading about the powder coating process it would be almost indestructable. Maybe someone knows more about this.
The answer to Dave's question...
Powder coating melts at about 400 degrees Farenheit. It's not a good choice for exhaust. If it were, we'd see all kinds of wicked looking pipes out there. This is why the choices are so limited to chrome's and blacks done with High Temp. paints. The Rinehart tips are done with anodizing. This is a problem if the anodizing is not done long enough.
Lady R.,
First off, I must say, I consider you a friend, so I apologize if it sounded like I was bashing something you posted. It was not intended that way. I'm going to say again, I was just stating the facts. Unfortunately, this happened to a good friend of mine that I ride with. He asked for my help and research in this subject a long time ago, because of my knowledge of paints, bodywork, etc. This is when I started researching this problem Rinehart has.
Regarding Vance and Hines bluing. All chrome blues with heat. Chrome pipes that don't have any bluing were never heated, or they have been cleaned, or they have heat shields to hide the bluing. No brand out there has found a real solution to bluing, other than to accept it, clean it, or hide it.
Regarding the Rinehart tips, Watch out if the exhaust is over one year old. I've read a lot about this, and some folks not having good luck with getting satisfaction. Here is a snippet, and link to another forum. There is ton's of information out there on this subject.
http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=24300.0
Lost confidence in Rinehart !!!
« on: June 19, 2008, 11:23:43 PM »
So my exhaust system is approx 1.5 yrs old and I have noticed the exhaust caps are turning color (purple). So I called Bub enterprises and spoke with Brad in tech support / warranty. I explained my situation as I know others on this forum have also done and he denied my claim since my $1000.00 exhaust system is beyond the 1 year warranty. I was seriously disappointed with his decision to immediately deny my claim and his unwillingness to help me in any way. This is the third Rinehart exhaust system I have purchased (and the last) for my bikes and I feel as though they (Bub/Rinehart) use the 1 year warranty excuse to NOT stand behind an obvious defect in their product. I know others on this forum and on the HD forums who have had the same problem with their end caps which were beyond the one year warranty period and Rinehart replaced the caps without question. If they are going to use this excuse to tarnish their reputation and turn customers away I wish they would do it for everyone. Thanks for nothing Bub/Rinehart. I know my next exhaust system will NOT have the Rinehart name on it !!!
dave... this Rinehart exhaust system is going to cost you the same. It's about a grand, then you have to install, ect. $$$! Harley and I have often thought about powder coating my Vance and Hines exhaust black to eliminate the bluing problem, but after reading mr. m.'s next comments, we may reconsider. Actually, it sounds like the black ceramic pipes might be a great choice. I haven't done much research on that, but I'm sure you could enlighten us. Hell, for the same money, at least your pipes would remain the same color! How does ceramic hold up to the heat? Ceramic is like glass, will it become transparent or brittle? Or can it loses it gloss and look like clay? Hmmmm.
mr. m... by no means did I feel offended in any way! Shut up already! LOL! Discussions like this is how we learn from each other and can be better informed upon our next purchase decisions. As I mentioned to Dave above, we have been thinking about powder coating my pipes black, but you've given us more to ponder about in that situation. Beside, my service dude at the Harley Dealership discourages it, but talking amongst other riders, many think this is a cool solution. The fact is, 4oo degrees doesn't sound high enough to guarantee that I wouldn't have problems with my powder coat. We don't bar hop (well, maybe sometimes) but, for the most part, when we get on our bikes for a ride... we ride. We'll put 200 to 250 on our bikes just for a Saturday putt. Heating up my pipes is a constant.
I hate to hear about cvo harley's situation. It sounds like they didn't even give him new tips.
I can only hope, that all this ruckus between other riders with there tip problems, they will start producing the tips that will stay black. You mentioned that this can happen in the anodizing process. Hopefully, they will continue to replace tips for their costumers until they permanently resolve the problem.
Like I said before, I guess it would be nice if we could live in a perfect world with perfect people and we would all have a perfect life. Until that happens.... we just live and learn!
Nice post. I am looking for pipes for the CrossBones, I had Rineharts on my StreetGlide (Tear in my eye as I type) - so I will prob stay with the brand after reading how they stand behind them.
Sorry I should have mentioned it before. Ceramic coating IS the "best" answer for high heat. All you have to do is Google it, and there is also a wealth of information regarding ceramic coatings. Hope this helps.
one harley rider... I hope that tear in your eye for the ol' bagger doesn't hamper your vision too much. I held my tongue back then, but I'm not sure I would have been able to switch from the Street Glide to the CrossBones. I guess I've gotten too old, and I really appreciate my comfort for long hauls. Having BOTH bikes, now that would be the ticket!
We are pleased with the Rineharts in spite of the coloring issue, as long as we can keep replacing them on their dime.
mr. m... Harley and I discussed our exhaust issue last night and, like me, he was surprised at what we just learned about powder coating. We always thought, mine would look better with black pipes. If we still decide to go that way, I guess we'll be looking into ceramic ones too. I'll be googling like you suggested, also Dave mention some from Sansom that he's had his peeps on.
It's always fun to hash out choices and options this way, don't cha think?
In the past the best colored pipes were porcelain.
I'm not entering into the tip material debate! I just want to say thanks for taking the time to pass along good comments about a company. Too many people are way quick to complain. It's nice to see something on the positive side of the scale.
webster... I'm hearing more and more about the ceramic or porcelain pipes. It's probably the best choice overall when you compare everything.
Irondad... It's how I really felt. I know, for the money we shouldn't have had any problems. But, sh*t happens. I work for a Dentist. If something goes wrong with any dental work he does, he fixes it. No charge. I call that service to our patient. Doesn't mean he's not a good Dentist, but things happen. In the case of Rinehart exhaust tips... they screwed up, but they are doing what they felt is the best solution to a problem, and that is replace the tips, with no cost to the customer. Can't beat that with a stick!
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